Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Ha Long Bay and Lisbon

For one person, living is cheaper in Ha Long Bay: $759 a month against $2,202 in Lisbon, rent and utilities included – about $17,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Ha Long Bay, Vietnam
Lisbon, Portugal
Ha Long Bay
🇻🇳 Vietnam
$759
/mo nomad
Lisbon
🇵🇹 Portugal
$2,202
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Ha Long Bay and in Lisbon

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Ha Long Bay and in Lisbon actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $759 in Ha Long Bay versus $2,202 in Lisbon.

  • Ha Long Bay $759
  • Lisbon $2,202

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,224 in Ha Long Bay versus $3,274 in Lisbon.

  • Ha Long Bay $1,224
  • Lisbon $3,274

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,688 in Ha Long Bay versus $4,346 in Lisbon.

  • Ha Long Bay $1,688
  • Lisbon $4,346

Living in Ha Long Bay costs roughly 66% less than in Lisbon, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ha Long Bay is 44% below, Lisbon is 62% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Ha Long Bay
Lisbon
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.06 ₫53.2K
$17.04 €15.21
-87.91%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$19.24 ₫497.1K
$62.3 €55.6
-69.11%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$4.35 ₫112.4K
$11.02 €9.83
-60.53%
Cappuccino
$1.60 ₫41.4K
$3.12 €2.79
-48.72%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.38 ₫9,810
$2.27 €2.02
-83.26%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.35 ₫9,088
$1.74 €1.56
-79.89%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$0.88 ₫22.7K
$3.42 €3.06
-74.27%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.33 ₫34.4K
$3.74 €3.34
-64.44%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Ha Long Bay
Lisbon
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.52 ₫39.3K
$1.17 €1.05
29.91%
White Bread (500g)
$1.12 ₫29.0K
$1.86 €1.66
-39.78%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$0.89 ₫23.1K
$1.54 €1.38
-42.21%
Eggs
$1.13 ₫29.2K
$4.06 €3.63
-72.17%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.47 ₫270.6K
$12.91 €11.53
-18.90%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.80 ₫98.2K
$7.90 €7.05
-51.90%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.88 ₫281.2K
$17.64 €15.75
-38.32%
Apples (1kg)
$2.94 ₫75.9K
$2.26 €2.02
30.09%
Banana (1kg)
$0.94 ₫24.2K
$1.75 €1.56
-46.29%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.37 ₫35.3K
$1.89 €1.69
-27.51%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.18 ₫30.4K
$2.56 €2.28
-53.91%
Potato (1kg)
$0.98 ₫25.3K
$1.85 €1.65
-47.03%
Onion (1kg)
$1.13 ₫29.2K
$1.97 €1.76
-42.64%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.65 ₫16.8K
$1.45 €1.29
-55.17%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.51 ₫13.3K
$0.77 €0.69
-33.77%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$1.37 ₫35.5K
$6.71 €5.99
-79.58%
Wine (Bottle)
$11.37 ₫293.8K
$5.67 €5.06
100.53%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$0.87 ₫22.4K
$1.37 €1.22
-36.50%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.65 ₫42.7K
$2.11 €1.89
-21.80%
🚌 Getting Around
Ha Long Bay
Lisbon
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.34 ₫8,888
$2.32 €2.07
-85.34%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$6.31 ₫163.2K
$44.43 €39.65
-85.80%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.71 ₫18.4K
$3.95 €3.52
-82.03%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.61 ₫15.7K
$1.05 €0.94
-41.90%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$2.71 ₫70.0K
$17.15 €15.31
-84.20%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.02 ₫26.5K
$2.19 €1.96
-53.42%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$33.2K ₫858.7M
$33.8K €30.2K
-1.63%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$30.2K ₫779.2M
$38.3K €34.2K
-21.19%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ha Long Bay
Lisbon
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$71.9 ₫1.9M
$164 €146
-56.13%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$6.52 ₫168.4K
$18.48 €16.49
-64.72%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$8.58 ₫221.6K
$32.96 €29.42
-73.97%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Ha Long Bay
Lisbon
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$22.65 ₫585.3K
$45.87 €40.93
-50.62%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$6.89 ₫178.0K
$18.68 €16.67
-63.12%
Cinema Ticket
$3.11 ₫80.3K
$9.75 €8.70
-68.10%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Ha Long Bay
Lisbon
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$191 ₫4.9M
$684 €611
-72.04%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$14.2K ₫367.5M
$17.6K €15.7K
-19.31%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Ha Long Bay
Lisbon
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$48.88 ₫1.3M
$104 €92.6
-52.88%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$26.10 ₫674.5K
$46.20 €41.23
-43.51%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$78.7 ₫2.0M
$99.7 €89.0
-21.10%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$85.3 ₫2.2M
$125 €111
-31.62%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Ha Long Bay
Lisbon
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$386 ₫10.0M
$1,589 €1,418
-75.73%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$272 ₫7.0M
$1,169 €1,043
-76.77%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$881 ₫22.8M
$2,851 €2,544
-69.11%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$612 ₫15.8M
$1,993 €1,779
-69.32%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,009 ₫51.9M
$7,793 €6,955
-74.22%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,215 ₫31.4M
$4,418 €3,943
-72.49%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Ha Long Bay
Lisbon
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$1,600 €1,428
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
8.28
3.85
115.06%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Ha Long Bay: October 18, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Ha Long Bay
$272
Lisbon
$1.2K 330% $897
Groceries & Markets
Ha Long Bay
$194
Lisbon
$273 41% $79
Clothing & Footwear
Ha Long Bay
$108
Lisbon
$168 56.7% $61
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ha Long Bay
$87
Lisbon
$215 148% $128
Eating Out
Ha Long Bay
$59
Lisbon
$247 321% $189
Sport & Entertainment
Ha Long Bay
$29
Lisbon
$65 127% $37
Getting Around
Ha Long Bay
$11
Lisbon
$63 450% $51

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $386 in Ha Long Bay and $1,589 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $19 in Ha Long Bay vs $62 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $194 vs $273 per month, with Ha Long Bay cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇻🇳 Ha Long Bay
🇵🇹 Lisbon
🕒 Local time
00:00 12:00 AM
17:00 5:00 PM
7 h behind Ha Long Bay
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
270,054
545,923 Capital
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR, USD to VND – Vietnamese Dong Converter

Vietnamese Dong exchange rates as of October 25, 2026: 1 USD = 25,840 VND (100,000 VND = 3.87 USD). 1 EUR = 28,952 VND (100,000 VND = 3.45 EUR).

Euro exchange rates as of October 25, 2026: 1 USD = 0.892 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Ha Long Bay Lisbon 10,630 km ≈ 14 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Ha Long Bay
  • Lisbon

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.
Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index
Ha Long Bay vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Ha Long Bay cheaper than Lisbon?
Ha Long Bay is cheaper overall, especially in eating out, groceries, and clothing. The 190% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You’d need roughly $1,138 in Ha Long Bay and $3,302 in Lisbon to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
What is the rent difference between Ha Long Bay and Lisbon?
Rent for a central apartment: $386 in Ha Long Bay versus $1,589 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
A monthly transit pass in Ha Long Bay runs roughly 86% less than in Lisbon. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you’re watching your budget.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $191 in Ha Long Bay versus $684 in Lisbon. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget for living in Ha Long Bay or in Lisbon?
At $759 in Ha Long Bay versus $2,202 in Lisbon, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ha Long Bay but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Ha Long Bay the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is it better to live in Ha Long Bay or in Lisbon?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Which city is safer, Ha Long Bay or Lisbon?
Safety-wise, Ha Long Bay and Lisbon are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Ha Long Bay gentler on the wallet – expenses run 66% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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